Social Care
Government must redesign immigration policy to fill care vacancies - think-tanks
The Government should ‘go back to the drawing board’ to redesign a visa system that encourages overseas workers to fill the 110,000 social care vacancies, a report today has urged.
Sector unites in call for Troubled Families funding
The local government sector has urged the Treasury to continue funding the Troubled Families programme following a glowing report on its impact.
Waiting for Godot and the Social Care Green Paper
Public finances are outperforming expectations, but the post-spring statement briefing from the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighted the need to sort out taxation and those other topics that did not get into the speech. Heather Jameson reports.
DToC figures due to social care on the rise
Winter pressures have been blamed for a rise in the number of delayed transfers of care (DToC) due to social services.
Our invaluable work needs to be better understood by the Government
We need to call on those in power to better understand the invaluable work we do in local government and help us deliver creativity without uncertainty, says Tony Kirkham
EXCLUSIVE: Avoiding the precipice
As councils seek ways to meet the funding gap, Martin Reeves and Rob Whiteman look at the implications for the future of public services and how we need a mature debate on prevention, accountability and joined up services. Heather Jameson reports
Remove immigration policy from the Home Office
Immigration policy is a mess, says Michael Burton - and has led to pay minimums which ignore big labour shortages in lower-paid public services. The Home Office is no longer the right ministry to manage such a cross-sector role, he concludes.
Norfolk has the systems in place to combat domestic abuse
Dr Louise Smith is confident that with strong direction, a multi-agency strategic board, and excellent collaborative working within Norfolk, the council and its partners can make a 'substantial, long-term impact on domestic abuse'.
Making better discharge decisions needs a whole-system approach
Social care and the NHS should analyse Delayed Transfer of Care (DToC) statistics on a system basis rather than at the organisational level so that their true cost becomes clear, says a new analysis from Newton. Dan Peters reports.
Call for outcome focus as DToC pressure reduces
Health and social care systems should increase their focus on outcomes for individuals as Whitehall softens its threats around delayed transfer of care (DToC) figures, a report today has suggested.
Council tax rises will not fix ‘chronically underfunded’ care system
Increases in council tax will fail to fix the ‘chronically underfunded’ social care system, local authority leaders have warned.
We need to talk about machine learning
Michael Sanders believes around 10 local authorities are already using systems and tools that include machine learning to identify risky children’s social care cases. Here, he expresses his concerns.
Two-thirds of councils say they have brought in or increased charges for social care
Two-thirds of councils in England who responded to a freedom of information (FOI) request said they have introduced or increased charges for care and support services in the past three years.
NHS organisations label social care funding a 'national disgrace'
The state of social care has been branded a 'national scandal and disgrace’ by a coalition of medics.
How does public spending break down?
The latest annual statement from HMRC reveals how little leeway the chancellor has when it comes to planning the next Spending Review, says Mike Burton.
The final countdown
Dan Peters reports on how local authorities are making contingency plans for Brexit while also endeavouring to maintain an open dialogue with the relevant UK agencies.
Worcestershire leaders warn care funding must change
Worcestershire CC has committed to a £23m boost to social care in its budget for next year.
Haringey officers in reserves warning
Officers in Haringey LBC have warned that the Labour administration’s use of £5.5m of reserves to increase funding for children’s and adults social care is unsustainable.
Carers win right to appeal in £400m sleep-in shift battle
The Supreme Court has granted carers the right to appeal in the ongoing sleep-in shift legal battle.
Don't ignore the work of the districts on social prescribing
When announcing new social prescribers the Government ignored the progress being made in district councils and has created a parallel competing bureaucracy, says Cllr John Fuller.